Flyers are high now, but their wings may be clipped later

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, February 3, 1999

THE FLYERS are unbeaten in 21 of their last 22 games. Philadelphia has gone 15-1-6 since Dec. 10, and is 22-4-7 since ending a seven-game winless streak in mid November.

Winners of six straight, the Flyers are five points up on New Jersey for the lead in the Atlantic Division and have pulled to within three points of Dallas for most in the league.

Their once uptight captain, Eric Lindros is playing great and outwardly enjoying every moment of it. The past shaky goaltending has improved with the acquisition of top-flight netminder John Vanbiesbrouck.

For Philadelphia, success will be defined only with a Stanley Cup championship this season. It may not be fair, but that's the reality. The Flyers have come close recently, but that's no longer enough.

Before Monday's win Philadelphia had the same number of points (63) as it did after 47 games last year when the Flyers were 27-11-9 instead of 26-10-11 as they are this year. But Philly took a dive over the final 35 games last year, going just 15-18-2. The late-season disappointment was capped by a first-round loss to Buffalo in five games.

"We're a better team than we were last year at this time," said John LeClair, the league leader in goals with 31. "I know that. We're playing more as a team. We're more solid. It's tough to explain, but we're better in every little aspect."

GM Bob Clarke, who is definitely on the hot seat if things don't go well, acquired a number of role players in addition to The Beezer to support the cast of stars already in place. He's probably not done.

Top-flight players including Theoren Fleury of Calgary and / or Chicago defenseman Chris Chelios might be wearing an orange and black sweater before the season is over. Philadelphia probably does need to bolster its blueline if it wants to make a serious run.

A Stanley Cup finalist as recent as two years ago, the Flyers were swept as Detroit secured the first of consecutive Stanley Cups. After winning the last two, no one would crucify the Wings for failing to win a third. Dallas' season would still be considered a success even if the Stars reach the finals and lose. Of the elite teams, only Philadelphia has no room for error. That's just the way it is.

Cramped office space&lt;

Two feet were added behind the goals by moving the goal lines further from the end boards to help improve scoring this season, which it has, but the game's premier playmaker isn't so sure he likes it.

Wayne Gretzky says it's actually an advantage for defensemen.

"There's a longer distance to go from the boards to the goal line," the Rangers' center told the Windsor (Ontario) Star. "Consequently, if a guy is on the boards, (defensemen) are attacking more quickly. I'm finding out I have less room back there than I used to have."

Iron Mike, take a hike&lt;

Fiery Mike Keenan made his first public statements regarding his recent firing from behind the Vancouver bench in a weekly column he writes for the Sporting News.

"In may ways, it appears (GM Brian) Burke had his mind made up right from the beginning," Keenan wrote. "It's unfortunate how this all came down. I wish this had been handled better."

Keenan wrote he was informed of his firing via a phone call from a Canucks' PR person, who said, "You've been fired; you'll read about it tomorrow in the newspaper."

Keenan, who intends to coach again, was dismissed from the fifth NHL team he's coached, during the All-Star break on Jan. 24. The Canucks were 15-24-6 under Keenan, and had just traded season-long holdout Pavel Bure to Florida two games earlier.

In announcing his decision, Burke criticized Keenan, calling the season "an unmitigated disaster" since Christmas and saying he had "issues with the way our hockey club has been coached."

Around the league&lt;

Colorado has started to pull away in the Northwest Division on the strength of a franchise-high nine-game winning streak. Only two of the wins have come against a .500 or better opponent (Boston and St. Louis, both now at .500), but that's what the good teams do - win the games they should win. Conversely, is it any wonder why Montreal is in the basement of the Northeast Division? Not when you find out the Habs are 4-20-5 against teams that are .500 or better. . . .

If Curtis Joseph plays in 30 of Toronto's final 33 games, he will become only the third goalie in league history to appear in at least 70 games in three consecutive years. The others are Glenn Hall and Jim Henry. . . . Philadelphia appears to have gotten the better of the deals with Tampa Bay this year. Ex-Lightning players Mikael Renberg, Daymond Langkow and Karl Dykhuis have a combined 24 points and are a plus-23 since being acquired by the Flyers. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, dropped to 4-16-2 Tuesday since getting Chris Gratton from Philly. . . .&lt;